Button-hole



E. G. HARRIS.-

BUTTON HOLE.

(Nd Model.)

No. 298,198. Patented May 6, 1884.

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NlTED STATES ATENT tries.

BUTTON-HOLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,198, dated May 6, 1884.

7 Application filed December 13, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EONAH G. HARRIS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in' Button-Holes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates ,to a new method of strengthening and re-enforcing button-holes; and it consists in inserting between the thicknesses of material of which the button-hole is made a wire, .cord, string, or strip of any suitable material, and securing the same thereto by overstitches, whereby the said re enforce is held between said thicknesses of ma: terial by said overstitches on all sides of said re-enforce, as hereinafter particularly de scribed and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side. view of a boot having button-holes constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 represents two of said button-holes enlarged, one of which is in front View and the other in longitudinal section; Fig. 3, a cross-section on line 3 3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a view of the wire or cord formed into the shape of a button-hole, ready for attachment thereto.

In the drawings, A represents a button-hole in the boot ]3. in the leather or cloth or other suitable material, O, in the outline and form desired, and in any suitable manner, and then between the two'thicknesses a and b of said material C, at and close to the edge cl of the button-hole, is inserted a wire, cord, string, or strip, D, of metal or other suitable material, and secured in such position by the stitches f, in the usual manner of stitching button-holes, which secures the wire or cord in its place at the edge of the button-hole, the stitches also covering the wire, so that it is not exposed to view, all as shown more particularly in cross-section in Fig. 3.

The cord or wire, before its attachment to the button-hole, as described, is shaped to 7 correspond to the outline of the edge of the button-hole, and the ends of the wire where joined together are soldered or secured together, as at 9, Fig. 4, and this portion or end This button-hole is first cut g of the wire so formed is placed at the end h of the button-hole, where the least strain comes in its use.

The w'ire,previo us to being inserted and attached to the button-hole as described, can be first covered withsilk or cotton, or any suitable material, either in thread form by winding or braiding'it thereon, or in any form suitable, and if made of wire or steel can be galvanized to prevent .rust, and it also can be of any temper desired, although preferably of such atemper as to be more or less flexible, and yet of sufficient strength.

Covering the wire with thread as described is advantageous, in that when the stitches making the button-hole become worn on the edge the surface of the wire will. not be ex posed to view.

A. button-hole constructed and re-enforced as above described has many advantages over button-holes as generally made, among which may be mentioned the following: It will not wear out easily, is more durable, preserves itsshape better and longer, and if out of shape from use is quickly restored by pulling it into shape, the wire being preferably more or less flexible for such purpose. I

Although this button-hole is shown in connection with a boot, obviously it is applicable to other articles of clothing, and to any suitable material, and for any purpose where a button and button-hole are used for a fastening.

The wire, cord,string, or strip can be made of metal, whalebone, of fibrous material, or of any suitable material; but metal is preferable, especially on account of its strength,

and it can be continuous instead of having.

ends and joined together as described.

I am aware that overstitches in forming button-holes are old; also,that button-holes have been .re-enforced by a wire or cord placed around the button-hole and secured thereto by two lines of stitching, one line on each of two sides of the cord or string.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A button-hole having its edges re-enforced by a Wire, cord, string, or strip of any suitable material inserted between the thicknesses g I I 298,198

of material in which the button-hole is made,

and secured thereto by overstitches, whereby nesses.

said re-enforce is held between said thick- T nesses of material by said overstitches on all E0} AH HARRIS sides of said re-euforce, substantially as de- Vitnesses:

scribed. EDWIN W. BROWN,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my WM. S. BELLOWs.

hand in the presence of two subscribing wit- 

